The Esayidi Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College in Port Shepstone welcomed the National Skills Fund (NSF) officials who documented the inroads made by the NSF-funded programmes in KwaZulu-Natal.
The NSF has funded the Esayidi TVET College’s work-based learning programmes, including apprenticeships, learnerships, work-integrated learning and skills programmes, with R51 million for 44 months from March 2022 to December 2025.
The programmes vary from hospitality to tourism business management; for example; 460 beneficiaries from the Galamakhe Township will benefit, with 325 beneficiaries already enrolled. The remaining beneficiaries to be enrolled were part of the January 2023 intake and another intake will be in January 2024.
Esayidi TVET College’s assistant director for occupational programmes, Bonginkosi Xaba, indicated that the participants exhibit a deep understanding of their learning curriculum and a strong eagerness to explore their respective fields. This dedication is crucial, as it is a prerequisite for their future employability or absorption into host companies.
Melusi Mbele (25), an NSF-funded business management beneficiary, shared his excitement about this programme: “After completing the N6 in business management from Esayidi TVET College, I struggled to find work placement or work-integrated learning for eight months. I became hopeless as this became a stumbling block on me completing the qualification,” said Mbele.
The NSF’s commitment to skills development is truly commendable, creating a pathway for success and personal growth.
The college says the students immerse themselves in a rigorous curriculum and gain practical experience, acquiring skills and fostering a profound belief in their capabilities.
Bablo’s Funeral Parlour hosted the NSF group. The current cohort for business management demonstrated how they help to manage the funeral parlour by processing claims, marketing and selling funeral financial services, and advising clients on various aspects of funeral preparation. They are completing their 18-month work-integrated learning (WIL), which ends on 31 March 2024. A second cohort will enrol for their WIL from 1 November 2023 to 30 April 2025.
The student’s newfound confidence has been transformative. It has inspired them to believe in a future where stable employment is possible.
The programme act as a catalyst, igniting the students’ ambitions and fuelling their determination to succeed. With each classroom achievement to hands-on projects, these beneficiaries are shaping their careers and lives.
Hlengiwe Cele (24), a business management beneficiary, said: “I have gained more knowledge and experience in the past eight months. I can now confidently approach and communicate with clients in the funeral parlour, a skill I lacked before enrolling in this programme.”
Xaba proudly shares that over 90% of the students from the NSF’s first and second funding windows [for TVET colleges] found placements in established companies such as Coca-Cola and government institutions, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and local hospitals.
During the NSF’s visit, Xaba said that upon completing this programme, learners’ prospects for securing employment are high. The affirmation is a testament to the quality of education and training provided, instilling confidence in each beneficiary as they embark on their professional journeys.
The Esayidi TVET College is one of 50 public TVET colleges approved by the NSF for the Phase III funding window for occupational programmes.
The college was also a Phase II funding recipient, where they received R64 million to implement workplace-based learning such as learnerships, internships, and apprenticeships. The funding benefitted 504 students.
With the Phase II funding, Esayidi implemented priority occupational trades, engineering, events management, early childhood development and rural development programmes from 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2020. Upon completion, the students secured permanent placements with companies such as Ford SA, Volkswagen, and DSL Plumbing.
The beneficiaries’ aspirations align with the NSF’s mission to fund skills development that improves South Africa’s socio-economic climate. The NSF’s work with TVET colleges is a partnership that is laying a foundation for a brighter future, with education being a powerful force for positive change for communities and the nation.
Picture: Esayidi TVET College Business Administration students, standing (from left): Melusi Mbele, Sinelizwi Mdingwa, Hlengiwe Cele and Nondumiso Dlamini. Seated (from left): Nompilo Khusi, NSF project liaison Bonginkosi Xaba and Zuziwe Xaba
By Lemogang Semela, a graduate intern at the National Skills Fund
